Name: Abbas Safdari

Profile: Hazara refugee from Afghanistan, living in Indonesia since 2014.

Advantages: UN-certified, good English skills, basic computer skills ,good in cooking and restaurant services, FULL FUNDING.

Risk: At risk of being tortured and killed by the Taliban and Kuchi if returned home.

Canadian contact: Stephen Watt

Abbas was a child when his family moved to Quetta, Pakistan for their safety, but they were still in danger there. Luckily, Abbas survived two bomb attacks, which put bad effects on his spiritual health. He fled to Indonesia by boat in 2014.

He lived about 4 years in a detention centre where he wasn’t allowed to go outside, still, he kept learning the English language and exercising.

He hopes now to be helped by a group of Canadian friends to come to Canada where he can live with his basic rights and support his family.

His Background

Abbas Safdari was born on December 11, 1997 in a village in the Malistan district in Ghazni province in Afghanistan.

The Hazara people of the region have long been targets of persecution and massacres because of their culture, religion, and love for education. Abbas was a child when his father and his elder brother went on their land, which was near Kuchi people to bring some woods. After the Kuchi people saw his father, they started beating him with their guns, and they slapped his elder brother and threatened them not to come back on the land.

“After the incident, my father decided to migrate to Pakistan for our safety.”

Their Situation in Pakistan

Abbas and his family arrived in Quetta, Pakistan in 2006. His elder brother was working in a restaurant in Abdul Sattar Road, Quetta for supporting the family, and Abbas also used to help his brother when the restaurant was crowded.

The number of target killings and bomb attacks on Hazara people increased in Quetta, Pakistan by an extremist group, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

One day, while Abbas was in the restaurant helping his brother, an explosion took place near them.

“Suddenly, there was a very loud sound of the blast. My brother took me back home and told me that he would never let me go with him and help him there because that area was not safe for the Hazara people.”

Abbas and other Hazaras were living inside their area, and Abbas was a student at Pearl Learning Centre. On January 10, 2013, there was a massive blast at his learning centre. Fortunately, he had already finished his class and was going to his home with his friend on the bike.

“We were about five minutes away from our learning centre, and the sound of blast terrified us. When we looked, there was smoke around that area.”

After that blast, Abbas couldn’t sleep for 3 nights and days. He left his study due to an unsafe situation, and he understood that he was no longer safe there.

His Journey to Indonesia

He arranged for a people smuggler with the help of his friend, and he flew from Karachi to Thailand on November 15, 2014. From there, he flew to Malaysia and then, he arrived in Indonesia by boat on November 20, 2014.

Life in Indonesia

Abbas registered himself at the UNHCR office on November 24, 2014.

With no right to work or way to support himself, he went to Balikpapan Detention Centre to ask for assistance. There, he wasn’t allowed to go outside of the detention centre, and he kept himself busy in learning the English language and exercising.

“I came here seeking a peaceful life but I was treated like a criminal inside the detention centre.”

In June 2018, he received his freedom and was transferred to a community house in Tanjung Pinang. He has been learning new things like cooking and computer software.

His Dreams

Abbas dreams of a peaceful life where he can continue his education, learn new things and support his family who is still not safe in Pakistan.

As UNHCR a refugee, Abbas Safdari is eligible for Canada’s private sponsorship program. He needs a group of five Canadian friends to support him.

To help support Abbas Safdari as a sponsor, please contact Stephen Watt on Facebook.

You can also reach out to Abbas Safdari directly on Facebook.

Reach out and discover how wonderful it is to privately sponsor a good person to start a new life – with your help – in Canada!

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